It's Only a Number

This week, I attained the age of seventy. I am told that officially makes me old.

Hate to disappoint you, but I'm not sure I agree with that.

Yes, I am aware that according to Scripture, "the days of a man shall be three score and ten, or, by reason of strength, four score." According to myriad external sources I am "past my prime", "over the hill", and potentially "headed for the last roundup".

I beg to differ.

I remind you that age, wisdom, and treachery will always triumph over youth and skill. I may not, in fact, be as good as I once was, but I remain "as good once as I ever was." And once is usually sufficient.

Over the hill implies coasting downhill to the finish. My experience says life is always a climb and rarely level. In a climb, the two options are to continue climbing or quit. Coasting is not possible, and quitting is not me, so I will continue to climb. And I intend sprint to the finish no matter how slow my sprint becomes.

I am not "headed for the last roundup" but embarked on my next great adventure. Who knows that it will not be the greatest adventure of all?

Life continues to fascinate me. People continue to fascinate me. How things fit and work together continues to fascinate me. Exploring and experiencing new things fascinates me. Revisiting and appreciating familiar things fascinates me. My world abounds with interesting and wonderful things.

As I turn seventy, I feel like Calvin in the comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes". In the last strip of the series, we join Calvin and his friend Hobbes the Tiger as they burst into the wide world with the caption "There's a wonderful world out there. Let's explore!"

Seventy is only a number.

I intend to keep exploring.

How about you?